Half to william f



(No Model.)

R. E. LINKPIELD. STAND FOR. USE IN BLAOKING BOOTS OR SHOES.

No. 498,066. Patented May 23, 1893.

am STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RALPH E. LINKFIELD, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO WILLIAM F. DEAN, OF SAME PLACE.

STAND FOR USE IN BLACKING BOOTS OR SHOES.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 498,066, dated May 23, 1893.

Application filed December 1, 1892- Serial No.'453,715. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RALPH E. LINKFIELD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain'new and useful Improvements in Stands for Use in Blacking Boots or Shoes; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description, of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object, to provide an improved stand or support, for use in blacking boots or shoes.

To this end, the invention consists in certain novel devices and combinations of de vices, which will be hereinafter fully described, and be defined in the claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein, like letters referring to like parts throughout, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the stand or support with the shoe, in position thereon. Fig. 2 is a plan view or support, some parts being broken away; and Fig. 3 is a detail, of the stand in section, on the line X X of Fig. 2, looking from the rear toward the front.

A represents a part of a raised platform, or other fixed structure, to which the support or stand is secured.

B is a standard or upright, having an expanded base B, secured by wood-screws b, or

' otherwise, to the platform A.

C is the rest for the boot or shoe, and is rigidly secured to the top of the standard B, and a segmental brace B extending forward from the standard. The rest G conforms in shape approximately, to that of the bottom ofv the boot or shoe, and has a reversely formed shoulder or offset 0', at the junction between the heel bearing surface and the body of the rest. The heel bearing surface of the rest, is

' :provided with upwardly projecting brads d,

facing forward which are preferably three in number, and arranged, as shown in Fig. 2. The sole bearing surface of the rest, is also provided with a pair of brads d facing inward.

E is a clamping device; which is in the 5onform" of a lever or clamping blade pivoted at e, to the rest and working through a slot in ing the boot or shoe to the rest.

the same, as shown, with its blade portion 6', projecting upward a slight distance above the top of the shoulder C. The handle part or long arm of the lever or clamping blade E, is provided with the keeper e which embraces the segmental brace B and between the keeper and the handle of the lever, is pivoted alever-arm eccentric F, which constitutes a locking device, for securing the pivoted clamping blade in its clamping position, or in any other position desired. In its locking action, the eccentric F works against the back or lower edge of the brace B The part c, which constitutes the clamping blade proper, as distinguished from the body of the lever, is slightly curved, and of a width nearly equal to that of the heel face of the ordinary boot or shoe. The blade 6' is tapered or reduced approximately to a knife edge, so as to take a good bite in the clamping action.-

The forward member of the three projecting brads d, on the heel bearing surface of the rest, is located centrally, and is in an arc of a common circle with the edge of the blade E 6, having the pivot e, as the common center.

The operation or usage of my device is as followsz-The shoe or boot G, whether on or oi the foot, is placed in position on the rest, as shown in Fig. 1. The clamping lever E, is then pulled outward from its dotted line position into its full line position, as shown in the said figure, and is locked by pushing downward the lever end of the eccentric F. In this movement of the lever E, the edge of the blade 6, will engage with the heel front I or face, and tend to throw the same downward and backward against the resistance offered by the brads d, on the heel bearing surface of the rest 0, thereby securely clamp- Oare should be taken to make the shoulder C of the rest of a height less than that of the counter-arch in the boot or shoe, so that the counter of the shoe will not touch the top of the shoulder C,

under the action of the clamp. If this precaution be taken, and the forward member of the brad d, on the heel bearing surface be located at a radial distance from the pivot e, equal to the distance from the said pivot of the edge of the blade e; then under the clam p- IOO ing action, from the movement of the lever E, the strain on the face of the heel will be resisted, in a direct line, by the forward member of the brads d, and there will be no tendency to tear the heel from the sole of the shoe. The fact that the brads cl, on the heel bearing surface of the rest face forward, cause the same to resist the longitudinal movement backward, of the shoe, under the action of the clamping blade. In other words, the clamping blade throws the heel downward and slightly backward on to the brads.

The brads cl on the sole bearin g surface of the rest, by facing inward as they do, hold the shoe from lateral movement at that point, under the polishing action. These brads cl are especially designed, to prevent this lateral or swinging motion of the shoe, when applying the polishing cloth with a downward and crosswise rubbing action, as is the custom.

The brads (Z and d are all preferably made of beveled or conical form on their backs, and with straight and slightly inclined vertical faces, as clearly shown in the drawings.

It will be seen, that the brads cl, on the heel bearing surface, not only serve as stops, to

limit the longitudinal movement of the bootor shoe; but as teeth, for entering the heel,

which in co-operation with the pivoted clam pin g blade, will securely hold the boot or shoe.

When it is desired to release the shoe, the

eccentric F israised, and the lever E permitted to swing downward into its dotted line position.

This device is of great convenience or advantage, in that it holds the boot or shoe firmly in position, without requiring any attention or support from the boot-black, enabling him to have the free use of both hands,

of the operator must be inside the shoe, to

hold the same. \Vith this device, the shoe or boot canbe held on the stand, and both hands By 1 can be used for the polishing action. keeping two or three sizes of lasts, for insertion within the boot or shoe, the boot-black' would be able to work on the same when off the foot, with equal advantage to polishing the same on the foot. This especially adapts the device for use in hotels, barber-shops, and sleeping-cars.

Respecting the location of the forward member of the brads (1, relative to the edge of the clamping blade e, it is ofcourse obvious, that the line of force or pressure from the blade 0', when in its clamping position, will strike the rest 0 in a line tangential to the clamping position of said blade; but as the arc of the circle between the said brad and the clamping position of the said blade is very short, it will answer to all practical purposes, to

Ordinarily, when 1.

locate the saidbrad in the circle orarc, rather than on the tangent. It is better to do this, for the reason that the heel of the shoe or boot is likely to take different positions on the rest, and hence the clamping position of the blade E 6, will vary in different cases; but by locating the forward member of the said brads d in the arc, it will always be suflicently near to the true line of force, to perform its proper function. It may also be noted in respect to to the brads d on the sole bearing surface of the rest, that pointed brads of any character, so long as they will resist lateral movement of the shoe, will answer the purpose.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States,is as follows:

1. In a stand or support for holding a shoe, the combination with a clamping device mounted on the stand, and applicable to the heel front or face, of the rest having on its heel bearing surface, at least one projecting brad facing forward, adapted to engage the under surface of the heel and to resist the action of the clamp, whereby, when the shoe is clamped, the entire polished surface of the heel will be left exposed, substantially as de scribed.

2. In a stand, for use in blacking boots and shoes, the combination with a clamping de vice mounted on the stand, and applicable to the heel front or face, of the rest having on its heel bearing surface, projecting brads facing forward to resist the action of the clamp, and provided on its sole bearing surface with projecting brads facing inward to prevent lateral movement of the boot or shoe, under the polishing action, substantially as described.

3. In a stand or support, for use in blacking boots or shoes, the combination with the 1 rest for the boot or shoe, having a projecting brad on its heel bearing surface, facing forward, of the clamping blade pivoted to the rest, and applicable to the heel face, thesaid brad on the heel bearing surface, and the clamping edge of the said blade being located in the arc of a common circle, having the pivot of the said blade as its center, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The stand or support, for use in blacking boots or shoes, comprising asupporti-ng standard B, with segmental brace B the rest 0 O, secured to the standard and brace and provided with the brads cl on its heelbearing surface, facing forward, and the brads d, on

its sole bearing surface, facing inward, and

the pivoted blade or lever E E, provided with the keeper e embracing the brace B 

